PS 3519 
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Copy 1 



COLUMBUS SCHOOL 
FOR GIRLS PLAYS 



What Makes 
Christmas Christmas 

GRACE LATIMER JONES 



WHAT MAKES CHRISTMAS 
CHRISTMAS: A MORALITY 
PLAY IN ONE ACT WRITTEN 
BY GRACE LATIMER JONES 




COLUMBUS, OHIO 

SPAHR AND GLENN 

MDCDXVII 



6 






-\ 



/{ J ^K 



Copyrighted 1917 
By Grace Latimer Jones 



©OLD 48678 



JAN SO 1918 



\ 



NOTE 



"What Makes Christmas Christmas" was 
written for the Columbus School for Girls and 
was performed for the first time at the Christmas 
Dinner, 1916. It is fully protected by copy- 
right. Application for the privilege of perform- 
ing the play must be made to the author, care 
Columbus School for Girls, Columbus, Ohio. 

The author hereby makes grateful acknowledg- 
ment of many suggestions which, while the play 
was writing, came to her from divers sources. 



COLUMBUS SCHOOL FOR GIRLS PLAYS 
WHAT MAKES CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS 




®*~ 



THE CHARACTERS 



Christmas Gifts 
Money 

Christmas Tree 
Christmas Stocking 



Plum Pudding 
An Old Man 
A Child 
The King's Son 



A Spirit 




WHAT MAKES CHRISTMAS 
CHRISTMAS 

A Morality Play 

THE SCENE— At the sides and back 
the stage is hung with curtains of a cold grey 
tone, lighter toward the top. In the upper 
left corner a bright star is shining. Across 
the top at the front hangs a dark g re y curtain, 
stencilled in a geometric design with dull 
gold paint. A dark ^ ne °f drapery 
borders the sides of the proscenium. A 
little to the right, centre, and more than half 
Way back, is a stone bench, with a pine tree 
at each end. The light is diffused and dim, 
to represent night. In the distance an 
almost imperceptible regular drumming is 
heard. During the solemn parts of the play 
this monotonous beat is always audible, 
determining the tempo of the movement 



There enters right Christmas Gifts, a 
coquettish, elf -like figure in a gold tunic and 
a stiff skirt, stopping at the knees. On her 
head is a gold cap like a cornucopia, and her 
stockings and slippers are gold. She enters 
dancing. She is followed by Money Bag, 
who loiters sulkily behind, examining a 
little musical pipe which he carries. Money 
Bag is dressed in a loose brown bag, tied up 
about the neck with a hempen rope. Other- 
wise he looks a little like a Brownie. 

MONEY 
Why are you so excited, Gifts? 

GIFTS 
Why, because it's Christmas eve, Mr. 
Money Bag. (She courtsies mockingly.) 

MONEY 

Christmas is no better for gifts than any 
other time of year. What's the matter 
with birthdays? 

GIFTS (kissing him, and dancing off) 

Poor old Money Bag, it's a great drain 
on you! 

8 



MONEY 
Yes it is! See how poor and thin I've 
grown! A month ago my sides were all 
bulgy with my savings. 

GIFTS (saucily) 
But it's a season when I thrive! 

MONEY 
You thrive, my lady, at my expense! 

GIFTS (caressingly) 
I want to dance, Money dear. Play me 
a nice little tune! 

MONEY (pouting) 

Whenever you want anything, then 
you're very nice to me, with your "Money 
dears!" You always have to rely on me 
for whatever you want. 

GIFTS 
Money makes the— dance go, yes! 
You're not a very aesthetic creature, 
though. (Money tosses his head angrily.) 
Oh, but we all love you. You're ever 
so much better than you look. Come, 
play me a nice little tune to dance to— 
tra-la-la-la ! Tra-la-la-la ! 



MONEY 
(still pouting and skating his head) 
I think my pipe is broken. (He plays a 
few discords.) 

GIFTS 
You're always "broke" when I ask you 
for anything ! Come — just one little tune ! 

Money begins to play, and Gifts starts 
her dance. Suddenly, abruptly in the 
middle of a strain, Money breads off, 
and begins to examine his pipe with great 
interest. 

GIFTS (stamping her foot) 
do play! It's so tantalising, Money, 
to have you give out this way! 

MONEY (complainingly) 

Yes, it's Money this, and Money that — 

at your beck and call all the while! 

3 can't keep on forever, can I, with no 

pauses to catch my breath? It's hard 

work to keep time all the time!! 

GIFTS (kissing him) 

There's a good old Money Bag, a nice 
old Money Bag! Of course you have to 
pretend that times are hard. 

10 



Money grunts and begins to play. After 
a few bars, he again stops abruptly on a high 
note, and falls to examining his pipe. 

GIFTS 

You always give out this way at the 
crucial moment! Dear Money, just one 
more little strain! 

MONEY 
The strain's too much for me! 

GIFTS 

How stingy you are! And your music 
is pretty poor, too! 

MONEY (angrily) 

I notice it's good enough for your 
dancing! 

GIFTS 

I'd dance to a different tune if I could! 
(airily) It's my artistic temperament, 
anyway, which furnishes all the charm. 

MONEY 

Artistic temperament, indeed! When 
did that ever furnish anything but trouble, 
I'd like to know? 

11 



Enter left Christmas Tree. He wears a 
short, flaring green tunic, trimmed with 
horizontal evergreen bands, green knickers, 
brown stockings, and scarlet slippers. On 
his head is a peaked green cap. From time 
to time electric lights shine out on the point 
of his cap, and in the evergreen bands. 

TREE 

Here, here, you two squabbling again? 
Why it's Christmas eve, the time for 
shouting and laughter! See how I shine!! 
(The bulbs glow and flicker out.) 

GIFTS 
He won't play for me! 

TREE 

yes he will, and like a right good 
fellow, too! Why one hour more and it 
will be Christmas, Mr. Bag. See how I 
shine with the festive spirit! (The lights 
glow a moment.) Now, if ever, is the time 
to play! Come, Gifts, we'll have a little 
dance together! 

They caper about, but Money continues 
to sulk an( I examine his pipe. 

12 



TREE 
Come, come, Money, what would Gifts 
be without you? 

MONEY 
She can expect no more of me! 

GIFTS 
(flinging arms round his neck) 
Dear old Money Bag! 

MONEY 
You're too fickle! 

GIFTS 
Not in loving you! 

TREE (coaxingly) 
This is the season of jollity! See how I 
shine! (The lights glow again.) 

MONEY (grudgingly) 
Just one short piece, then! 

He begins to play. Gifts and Tree join 
hands. 

TREE 

It's scandalous the way you treat him. 
You're so changeable. 

13 



GIFTS 

You seem to forget that Christmas 
Gifts must be all things to all men! 

They dance. Presently the music stops 
again on a high note in the middle of a 
strain. 

GIFTS (angrily) 
Money has given out again! 

A new tune starts up merrily, as Stocking 
enters left. He wears a blue and white 
doublet, and a square cap on his head. On 
the whole he resembles a checked Pantaloon 
more than anything else. Stocking dances 
gaily, while Gifts and Tree give him the 
floor. 

GIFTS 

Poor Stocking! It's very seldom Money 
spends any effort on him! 

TREE 

You mean it's very seldom Money is 
ever spent on him. Women are so 
reckless in what they say! 

Stocking stops, breathless. 

14 



GIFTS 
How well you dance tonight, Stocking! 

STOCKING 

On Christmas eve I always dance well— 
I'm dancing dreams into the heads of all 
the children! "The stockings are hung 
by the chimney with care," you know! 
That's the very core of the whole thing! 
What would Christmas be without me? 
Why, I am Christmas!! 

TREE 

Rubbish, old fellow! You're all right, 
of course — in fact you play your part 
very nicely! But what would Christmas 
be without a Tree? See how I shine!! 
(The lamps glow.) 

STOCKING (angrily) 

Sooner a Christmas any time without 
a Tree than without a Stocking! Why 
it's the whole joy of Christmas to hang 
up your stocking, have dreams dancing 
on your head all night, and dash down in 
the morning, to pull out — 



15 



GIFTS 

Gifts 11 There you are — it's gifts they're 
after! What would an empty stocking 
be? It's Gifts, Gifts, GIFTS, that make 
them happy! 

Stocking is about to retort, but Tree 
pushes him aside. 

TREE 

There, there — don't quarrel! We all 
admit that Christmas would be a pretty 
slow thing without you, Stocking, and 
that you'd be a pretty disappointing 
fellow without Gifts. You're both essen- 
tial to Christmas — 

GIFTS AND STOCKING 
I guess so!! 

STOCKING 
Christmas eve and no stocking! Why, 
it's inconceivable! 

GIFTS 

Who ever heard of Christmas with no 
Gifts? Why I enter every lowest hovel, 
bringing joy wherever I go, and spreading 
Christmas cheer! I visit the rich man in 

16 



his villa, and the convict in his prison, 
and the soldier in his trench. Every- 
where I go, helping, encouraging (senten~ 
tiously) making all men brothers. The 
whole world becomes one vast fraternity 
under the charm of the Christmas Gift! 
Wherever I look in, there you will find 
Christmas smiling!! 

TREE 

See how I shine! (The lamps flash.) 
What is a home without me when Christ- 
man dawns? Why I am the very centre 
and symbol of joy ! ! Round me the family 
gather, and look at me with smiling eyes! 
I am the shrine of Christmas. Christmas 
is Christmas without a single gift, if I 
stand shining by the hearth! 

MONEY 

Humph! Where would you all be 
without me? Whoever heard of anyone's 
keeping Christmas without Money? I may 
not make as much show as some of you 
here, but Money's the biggest thing in 
life! What's a man without Money? 
Where can he live? What can he eat? 
What can he do? I build canals and 

17 



palaces, and the great ships that sail on 
the sea! I wage war, and bring back 
peace again! I erect hospitals, and bring 
men healing and comfort. Without me 
the whole world would fall into chaos, 
and the race of men would perish. Christ- 
man without Money, indeed! 

STOCKING 

Here comes Plum Pudding! He has 
attended countless Christmas festivals! 

TREE 
Yes — but think of his reputation! 

STOCKING 

I'll admit that he isn't averse to a 
little liquor and is often in his cups — but 
he's a man of the world, and has seen life. 
He ought to know what makes Christmas 
Christmas. Let's lay the whole matter 
squarely before him, and abide by his 
decision. 

MONEY 

Yes, Plum Pudding knows what's what! 
I agree. 

GIFTS 
And I. 

18 



TREE 
And I. 

Enter left Plum Pudding. He is a 
portly old gentleman, dressed in black 
Velvet, with red stockings, and a red sash. 

STOCKING 
Good evening, Mr. Pudding! We're 
having a little discussion here about 
who's most essential to Christmas. Now 
I — 

TREE 

Just tell them, please, what Christmas 
would be without a tree. See how I 
shine! (The lamps glow.) 

PUDDING 
Humph! 

GIFTS 
Mr. Pudding, did you ever hear of 
Christmas without gifts? (She takes his 
arm coquettishly, and smiles up at him.) 

PUDDING (clearing his throat) 
Well now — 

GIFTS 
Of course you didn't ! 
19 



MONEY 

Where would they all be, sir, without 
me? 

TREE 

Put them all straight now. — See how 
I shine! (The lamps glow.) 

STOCKING 

Did you ever hear of a child who 
forgot to hang up his stocking on Christ- 
mas eve ? 

PUDDING 

There's a good deal of wisdom in all 
these claims. Christmas would indeed 
be a poor thing without Stocking — 

TREE 
See how I shine ! (The lamps glow.) 

PUDDING 
A tree is very important, (Gifts pulls 
his arm.) and no one would be willingly 
forgotten by Gifts. (He smiles at her.) 
Without Money — 

MONEY 
Yes, where would they all be without 



20 



PUDDING (sententiously) 
Where indeed? 





GIFTS 


Well? 






STOCKING 


Well? 






TREE 


Well? 






MONEY 


Well? 






PUDDING 


Well! Wh 


at is it that makes Christmas 


Christmas ? 






GIFTS 


What? 






STOCKING 


What? 






TREE 


What? 






MONEY 


What? 






21 



PUDDING 
Is it possible you don't know ? 

All shal^e their heads. 

GIFTS (smiling at him) 
What do you think? 



Think? - 


-I don't think — I know ! 




GIFTS 


Oh! 






STOCKING 


Oh! 






TREE 


Oh! 






MONEY 


Oh! 





PUDDING 
What is the road to a man's heart? 
Why his stomach, of course! Do you 
see ? Plum Pudding is what makes Christ- 
mas Christmas! Didn't you all refer to 
me? 

Plum Pudding turns and struts off right 
in a superior manner. 

22 



TREE 

Always puts himself above everybody 
else! 

GIFTS 
Too much ego, my dear Tree! 

STOCKING 

Always over-estimating his own im- 
portance. 

MONEY 

The way to a man's heart is through his 
— purse! Why I can tell you — 

A gay tingling sound is heard (xylophone) 
and a lithe, yellow-clad figure enters right. 
She is dancing and is picking imaginary 
flowers. 

SPIRIT (singing) 

I am young and take pride 
In the flowers in my hair: 

My food the wild cherry, 
My bed the brown fern! 

MONEY 
This is no one I know. 

23 



GIFTS 
Nor I. 

SPIRIT 

(still gathering imaginary flowers, and 
weaving them into wreaths) 

Morning glories, and rue, and hair bells 
growing with daisies — 

MONEY 
I don't see anything! 

SPIRIT 
— all growing under the Christmas star! 

GIFTS 

She thinks they're there! 

MONEY 
Perish the thought! 

SPIRIT 

All sweet flowers for my garland — the 
rose, the lily, and the stately dahlia. 

TREE (stepping up to her) 
See how I shine! (The lamps glow.) 

24 



SPIRIT (drawing back) 

no, no! You're no child of the wood 
and meadow! (singing) 

Though my dress be in tatters, 

My footsteps are light. 
The stars in the sky 

Appear when I sing. 

STOCKING (mockingly) 

She'll be asking us to have a cup of 
moonlight next!! 

MONEY 
She's mad. 

GIFTS 
I'll speak to her. — What's your name? 

SPIRIT (singing) 

I seek with the bee, 

Draining sweet from the thorn; 
Joy touches my heart 

Like the wing of a bird. 

GIFTS 
Well, where did you come from ? 

25 



SPIRIT 

I can't say the exact place. I have 
come from the mountains of the Sierra 
Nevada down through a great sweep of 
wheat country. So I wandered along the 
banks of the Ohio, and touched the hills 
again and passed into the mist, over the 
waves into the great turmoil of the 
nations. 

MONEY 
But where is your home ? 

SPIRIT 
(singing as she plaits her wreaths) 

When the sun shines out 

The spring is my cup; 
And I hear from the thrush 

That her nestling is flown. 

MONEY 
You see, she won't tell. 

SPIRIT 

I pass here and there, lodging in the 
hearts of men, and I reach down and set 
my magic on children. 

26 



STOCKING 

Aren't you cold out in the night with 
that thin dress ? 

SPIRIT 
The December winds are blowing down 
from the great icefields in the north, but 
I am not cold at all, for my heart warms 
me. 

TREE 

This is no time to be thinking about 
yourself! This is Christmas night, don't 
you know that — the time when there's 
love and goodwill among men, and 
every one is giving himself in joy and 
service for others. — See how I shine! 
(The lamps gleam.) 

The Spirit looks about her, bewildered, 

MONEY 
Everybody is expected to give a little. 

SPIRIT 
I've flowers. 

GIFTS 
They're only in your mind. 

27 



SPIRIT 
And joy and laughter — 

MONEY 

They don't cost anything. They're 
just in the hearts of the people, (holding 
out his cap to her) Everybody is expected 
to give a little! 

SPIRIT 

That's much too small to contain my 
gifts! 

The Spirit disappears. 

GIFTS 

Whoever saw the like ? Such airs some 
folks have! 

Enter right an old man with his little 
grandson. They are very poor and 
Wretched. The old man carries on his 
back a sack which contains all his posses-' 
sions y and the little boy has a swag on the end 
of a stick- They come in and rest them" 
selves and their burdens on the bench. 

OLD MAN 
I'm old — old by a hundred years, and 
wearied out! Yet it's near midnight, 

28 



and we must be getting on to some 
shelter. 

CHILD 

How far must we go, grandfather? 

OLD MAN 

It's always a long way, child, that the 
poor must travel — a long and weary way! 

MONEY (slinking away) 
They're beggars! 

GIFTS (coming forward) 

It's Christmas eve, my good man, and 
the hour of midnight is near. I was 
coming to seek you. I'm Gifts — 

OLD MAN (bitterly) 

Christmas is for the rich — not for us 
poor folk, driven forth on the road, to 
celebrate with gifts! 

TREE 

See how I shine. (The lamps gleam.) 
On Christmas eve even the poor man can 
bear home a balsam from the hills and 

29 



light a taper in its branches to the Blessed 
Child, to shine into the eyes of his own 
children! 

OLD MAN (turning away) 

It's a roof tree that I'm lacking this 
Christmas eve, young man! 

STOCKING 

But, though the poor man has no home, 
he has yet a fire where the Christmas 
stocking may hang! 

OLD MAN 

Tonight the highway is my hearth, 
friend! 

Enter left the Spirit, and touches the old 
Man on the sleeve. 

SPIRIT 

Father, I too have come a long road 
on Christmas night, and am going a longer 
still. Shall, we not go on together? 

OLD MAN 

Ah — company on the long dark road! 
That's something now, my friends! 

30 



CHILD 

Where did you get those flowers ? 



Mad! 

Mad!! 

Mad!!! 



GIFTS 

TREE 

MONEY 

OLD MAN 



You see, we're very poor, my grandson 
and I. We're too poor to keep Christmas. 

CHILD 

I didn't see any flowers, grandfather, as 
we came along, but now — why they're 
growing everywhere! 

OLD MAN 
And what a fine smell they have ! 

TREE 

Can't you see how she's fooling you? 
Where are her flowers now ? 

31 



OLD MAN 
But can a fine lady like you be seen on 
the road with poor folks like us ? 

SPIRIT 
Kings came to Him in His manger. 

OLD MAN 
Then let us be getting along, for the 
road is dark and difficult. 

SPIRIT 
The way is bright with moonlight, and 
the hedges are thick with daisies and hair 
bells, and the meadows are dotted with 
buttercups. We shall pass orchards, too, 
with plums and peaches, and big and little 
apples, and hanging grapes on a trellis. 

OLD MAN {incredulously) 
This reminds me of the days when I too 
was young and unwearied ! 

SPIRIT 
And before us faith will run like a wild 
deer on the mountains, (singing) 
rarer than wealth 

Are the flowers on my brow! 
And fairer than peace 
The flame in my heart! 
32 



The Old Man and the Child go out left 
with a confident air, accompanied by the 
Spirit. As they go they do not heed the 
others. 

GIFTS 

She carries a high head, now, and 
despises us as if she were our betters! 

MONEY 

There they go, a couple of poor daft 
shadows begging along the road — a re- 
proach to good people who are enjoying 
Christmas. 

A cloud of incense rises behind the Spirit 
and the Old Man and Child. 

STOCKING 
Don't you see a mist rising there? 

TREE (awed) 

And smell a holy fire! 

GIFTS 

And together they have passed into the 
mist! 

MONEY 
But who is she anyway, and what was 
her business here on Christmas night? 

33 



TREE 

She's only a poor mad thing with her 
flowers and her orchards and her moon- 
light! It's an ill time to be meeting 
creatures like that — the holy Christmas 
eve! 

GIFTS 

The old man's coat was very poor 
indeed. He needed a new one. 

TREE 
His hood was all tattered. 

STOCKINGS 
And his stockings were only rags! 

GIFTS 

Yet he refused our assistance ! That's 
the way with the poor. They'd rather 
freeze before our eyes than ease us by 
taking help ! 

TREE 
He listened to her quick enough! 

STOCKING 
To empty promises and vain hopes held 
out, with all her talk about flowers — yes! 

34 



TREE 

See how I — (He jumps aside startled, 
and cries out.) She has taken away my 
shine ! ! ! 

The others look on * n amazement. 

GIFTS 

A pox on her for taking away the good 
old ways of celebrating Christmas! 

Suddenly the Kings Son appears left 
on the highway. He is dressed in a short 
purple tunic, and wears a golden circlet 
on his brow. Money immediately runs 
forward to salute him. 

TREE (sarcastically) 

Money always follows in the footsteps 
of the great! 

All stand in the way of the King's Son, 
saluting him. He looks peevish and is 
evidently annoyed at the interruption. 

KING'S SON 
What do you want of me ? 



35 



GIFTS 

It was to you, sire, that we were about 
to proceed. It was to you first of all 
in the wide realm that we would bring 
our Christmas greetings. 



KING'S SON 
And who are you, pray? 

GIFTS 

S am Christmas Gifts, with my faithful 
attendant, Money Bag, and we have saved 
for you the rarest and best — 

KING'S SON 

But I don't want any more gifts. 
Already the palace is filled up with them — 
birthday gifts, christening gifts, Christ- 
mas gifts — gifts — gifts — till my eyes are 

tired of looking ! 

STOCKING 

Sire, you are right. I am the only 
true symbol of Christmas — I, the Christ- 
mas Stocking. You hang me up in the 
chimney corner, and all night long dreams 
and fancies dance over your head — 

36 



KING'S SON (irritably) 

I'm much too old for such nonsense! 
Why I haven't hung up my stocking for — 
ever so long! 

TREE 

Sire, I am the Christmas Tree — see how 
I shine! (He hesitates to try, but the lights 
gleam out again.) I am the shrine of 
Christmas. On Christmas morning the 
family gather round me — 

KING'S SON 

I'm tired of Christmas trees! I have 
them every year, and they're always the 
same! — All these things are nothing to 
me, for in my heart there is great heavi- 
ness. What is it that makes Christmas 
Christmas? I have set out tonight on 
the great highway of the realm to see 
whether I shall find Christmas there — 
I have left my father's house, where I 
walk between walls of beaten bronze, 
lighted with silver lamps, and where my 
father sits on a high throne with a crown 
on his head and a mastiff at his feet. In 
the courtyard festive preparations are 
going forward, and there is a great coming 

37 



/ 



in of Kings and Princes. But Christmas 
joy has deserted our palace. I remember 
the time when my heart was high on 
Christmas night, but now everything is 
sodden and dull. 

Enter left Spirit, dancing. 

SPIRIT (singing) 

No gem and no gold 
Can my spirit oppress; 

No mesh and no net 
Stay the wing of my flight! 

KING'S SON 
Who is she ? (He goes toward her.) 

SPIRIT 
(gathering flowers and singing) 

The summer leaves fall 
When the harvest is ripe; 

The lark song is heard 

When the shadows are long. 

KING'S SON. 

There's a princess in the court who has 
come up from the south and sits pining 
for me by the window — but I'll none of 

38 



her ! And now when I put out my arms 
to you, you do not come! 

SPIRIT 

All men have a deep thirst for joy! 

KING'S SON 

Come to my father's house, and we will 
dance together in the gardens, you and 
I playmates — 

SPIRIT 

no, no! In palaces there are sad 
hearts, burdened with the duties of Christ- 
mas. I must be happy and free! 

KING'S SON 

But I will make it different. You may 
come and go as you will, and you may 
have a great tall gendarme to keep away 
anyone who annoys you; and you can 
console yourself by giving to the poor, 
who are always near the golden gate — 

SPIRIT (dancing away and singing) 
I pine and I sigh 

For no gift and no gold; 
The glow in the west 
Is treasure to me! 
The Spirit disappears. 
39 



s 



TREE 

It does a heap of good to talk to her! 
She won't even listen to the King's Son. 

Enter left the Old Man and the Boy. 

OLD MAN 

Alas! Joy caught at my sleeve and 
disappeared! 

KING'S SON 

It is the only thing which will not dwell 
in palaces. 

OLD MAN 

She was taken away from us as every- 
thing else is taken! 

TREE (to the Old Man) 
Because there was nothing there! She 
and her flowers were an empty show to 
delude poor daft folks like you. 

OLD MAN 

With her the way was not dark — while 
she ran beside us we walked in moonlight. 
Then she ran ahead. She would wait for 
us, she said, at the cross roads farther on — 
and she vanished like a dew! But when 

40 



she was gone our sorrow returned and the 
weariness of the way, and we could not 
see ahead. 

KING'S SON 
The poor too! 

OLD MAN 

She held in her hands joy like a great 
-light. I saw it shining there! And it 
vanished again! 

TREE 

My light! She stole it from me for a 
little while! 

GIFTS 

What did I tell you — empty promises! 
And he thought she would wait for his 
coming at the cross roads!! 

TREE 

Her blossoms bloomed only a moment, 
old father, then she deserted you, leaving 
you on the road alone! 

KING'S SON 
As she left me, too! 
41 



/ 



GIFTS 

Our promises were more substantial, 
but you turned from them to her flowers. 
Did you touch them, then ? Did you take 
them in your hands ? 

OLD MAN 

What I see is mine. She offered fair 
sights to our eyes, and gentle thoughts 
to our hearts, such as belong to the poor, 
and to the children, and to poets. The 
King and the rich hold their possessions in 
their hands; but who can play the tyrant 
with the eye and the thought of a poor 
man? 

KING'S SON 

Hark! Again she is filling the air with 
her sweet sounds! 

All stop and listen. 

SPIRIT 
(sings in the distance and is not seen) 

My voice meets the voice 
Of the forest and cloud; 

But the sun never shines 
On the gold of the rich. 

42 



KING'S SON 

It is strange. Her figure is not here, 
yet the sound comes to us like the film 
of a dream! 

OLD MAN 
The form too is here if you see it. 

SPIRIT (still in the distance) 

My life is a joy 

That no mystery clouds; 
With no pain and no thanks 

I give and I get. 

KING'S SON 

This night my longing has been 
fulfilled. 

OLD MAN 
And the poor have been happy. 

GIFTS 
This is no place for us!! 

Gifts, Money, Tree, and Stocking slink 
away left as the Spirit continues to sing. 

43 



SPIRIT (still in the distance) 

My fancy, my palace — 

My joy, my throne — 
My dreams are my realm — 

And my garlands, my crown! 

KING'S SON 

Though she speeds over the earth 
tonight, her spirit has found its resting 
place. 

OLD MAN 
For she dwells in our hearts! 

The drum beats heavily twelve times. 

CURTAIN 




44 



